Vol. 5 No. 4 Summer 2002 HOUSE CALL

A quartely publication of TTTTThe he he he he MMMMMedical edical edical edical edical HHHHHeritage eritage eritage eritage eritage CCCCCenterenterenterenterenter at The Ohio State University

The Prior Library is one of 80 libraries across thecountry selected to host the traveling exhibit “Fran-kenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature” de-veloped by the National Library of Medicine (NLM)of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and theAmerican Library Association (ALA). “Franken-stein” and related exhibits will be on display in theMedical Heritage Center Sept. 22–Oct. 31, 2003.

“Frankenstein” looks at many of the themes of MaryShelley’s novel, such as social responsibility andthe consequences of scientific advances, and usesthem as starting points for further exploration. Inconjunction with the exhibit, the Library is devel-oping programming with the Columbus Metropoli-tan Library, the Wexner Center for the Arts, the OSUCartoon Research Library, and COSI. Additionalcommunity partners include the Columbus Medi-cal Association and the New Albany Plain LocalSchool District.

The traveling “Frankenstein” exhibit is based on alarger exhibit of the same name, which was cre-ated by and displayed at the NLM from 1997 to1998. The exhibit is funded by a major grant fromthe National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

For more information, please contact Jan LeibovitzAlloy, Prior Health Sciences Library Communica-tions Coordinator, 614-292-4908.

When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1816, themedical world was excited about the new concept ofusing electricity to treat various diseases and even defeatdeath. During the 1790s, Italian physician Luigi Galvanidemonstrated what we now understand to be theelectrical basis of nerve impulses when he made frogmuscles twitch by jolting them with an electrostaticmachine. Interested by the place of electricity in science,Shelley pondered that, “perhaps a corpse would bereanimated; galvanism had given token of such things.”

The proper usage of medical electricity treatments wasan issue of moral and ethical debate throughout the 19th

Century. In his book, Electro-Therapeutical Practice: AReady Reference Guide for Physicians in the Use ofElectricity (1895), Chas. S. Neiswanger, Ph.G., remarksthat, “In presenting this little volume as an aid to the morerational use of electricity in the medical profession theauthor is not unmindful of the fact that much literature ofa contradictory and confusing nature has been writtenand published. In the present work, however, allsuperfluous verbiage has been discarded; no theoriesare advanced. . .” Neiswanger ’s statement isrepresentative of many scientists at the time, whocontinued to explore the place of electricity in medicine,yet refused to be caught up in any debates over anytheoretical implications.

Electrostatic machine used fora static bath or head breezeapplication. Illustration fromE l e c t r o - T h e r a p e u t i c a lPractice: A Ready ReferenceGuide for Physicians in theUse of Electricity (1895) byChas. S. Neiswanger, Ph.G.

MHC to HostFrankenstein Exhibit

By Judith A. Wiener, MA

An Electrifying Debate

Charles F. Wooley, MD, Professor of Medicine,Emeritus Historian in Residence, The MedicalHeritage Center, Prior Health Sciences Library,The Ohio State University, recently presented threelectures detailing the impact that William Osler,M.D. and James Warren, M.D. had on medicalhistory. Wooley presented The Annual John P. McGovernLecture, History of Medicine Society, Baylor Col-lege of Medicine, Houston, Texas on February 11,2002. In a lecture entitled, ”R. Tait McKenzie, M.D.:Physical Educator, Father of Physical Medicine,Sculptor of Athletes with Oslerian Overtones,” heoutlined the life of the accomplished physician,educator, and artist R. Tait McKenzie. McKenzie’slife-long associations with his fellow Canadian andfriend, William Osler formed the basis forWooley’s presentation.

On April 24, 2002 Wooley gave a lecture entitled”Our Distinguished Visitor: Osler in Columbus:December 1899" at the American Osler SocietyAnnual Meeting, Kansas City. The talk describedthe day William Osler came to Columbus andhonored the Ohio Medical University (OMU) with avisit and a clinical lecture.

Lastly, Wooley presented the 21st Annual James V.Warren Lectureship on 23 May 2002 at OSU.During the presentation, ”Academic Heritage andthe Transmission of Excellence: The Warren Years.The Department of Internal Medicine, The OhioState University.” Wooley focused on Dr. Warren’slife (1915-1990), his early years growing up inColumbus, his undergraduate education at TheOhio State University, and his remarkable aca-demic medical career. Gloria Warren participatedin the presentation, adding her unique perspectiveof her husband’s career.

Wooley Presents Historical Research

A new book about the OSU College of Dentistryhas been released this spring. It is titled, “A His-torical Remembrance of The Ohio State UniversityCollege of Dentistry.” Authored by Donald F. Bow-ers, D.D.S., Kenneth M. Clemens, D.D.S. andRobert B. Stevenson, D.D.S., the book detailsmore than a century of dental education and dem-onstrates the overwhelming endurance and resil-ience of the OSU dental program.

The book can be purchased by sending a checkfor $ 40.00 (this includes postage) made out to theDental Alumni/Development Office: Dental AlumniSociety, 305 West 12th Avenue, Box 182357,Columbus OH 43218. Be sure to include yourmailing information so the book can be shipped toyou. If you have questions about the dentistryhistory book, contact the Dental Alumni/Develop-ment Office at 614-292-4655.

Summer Reading Suggestions For PurchaseThe following books are available for purchase fromThe Medical Heritage Center :

The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Vol-ume II, 1934-1958 (N. Paul Hudson MD, PhD, Edi-tor) - $30.00 (includes shipping costs)

The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Vol-ume III, 1998 (George W. Paulson, MD, Editor) -$30.00 (includes shipping costs)

Please contact the Medical Heritage Center atmedhist@osu.edu or (614) 292-4891 to place yourorder for either of these two great reads about thehistory of the OSU College of Medicine.

Editor-in Chief: Barbara Van BrimmerProduction Editor: Judith A. Wiener

e-mail: medhist@osu.edu, telephone: 614-292-4891fax: 614-292-9919, http://bones.med.ohio-state.edu/heritage

©2002 Medical Heritage Center, All rights reservedReprints with permission

HOUSE CALL

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The Medical Heritage Center thanks those listed for their recent support.

Dr. John C. Burnham: The Clapping of One Hand (Vertis) ! Dr. Richard C. Distad: “Phi Chi Quarterly” ! Anne Droste: diploma,license, and obit. of her grandfather, Dr. Matthew Samuel Holt ! John E. Hohmann, MD: Medica for Nurses (Dock 1908) andTextbook of Nursing (Weeks-Shaw) 1909 ! Tom Lewis, MD: two books and medical instruments ! Richard P. Lewis: Manualof Percussion and Auscultation (Flint) 1876; Spatial Vector Electrocardiography (Grant) 1951; Spatial Vectorcardiography(Burch) ! Carol Prince: student nursing uniform ! Alan E. Sheline: Handbook of Therapy (Osborne) 1915; Applied Anatomy(Treves) 1901; Practical Treatise on Diseases of the Skin (Hyde) 1901; Principles and Practice of Medicine (Osler) 1902;Surgical Technizue (Printy) 1925 ! Gwen Trudeau, MD: 2 receipt books (1967); Desk Index (Forchheimer-Therapeusis) Misc.Class notes and pamphlets; Dept of Anesthology shirt (1980s) ! Mrs. Gloria Warren: James V. Warren artifacts and archivalmaterials ! Paul Wherry: Printing Book, Academy of Medicine ! Tennyson Williams, MD: various books

Monetary Donations:Ronald Berggren MD (CMA grant) ! Dr.and Mrs. John F. Condon (CMA grant) ! Mrs. Lola Ann Davis - Edwards (CMAgrant) ! William W. Davis MD (CMA grant) ! Frederick A. Flory (CMA grant) ! Jerry Medaris Hardacre MD (CMA grant)! Tom Lewis, MD (CMA grant) ! Torrence A. Mackley, MD (CMA grant) ! Samuel Meites, MD (CMA grant) ! Jack R.Parrish, MD (CMA grant) ! Drs. George and Ruth Paulson (CMA grant and donations) ! Carol Prince (Friends of Nursing)! Mrs. John A. Prior (CMA grant) ! Dr. and Mrs. Carol Robinson (Friends of Nursing) ! Robert L. Solt, Jr. MD (CMA grant)! Paul Wherry (CMA grant) ! Edwin R. Zartman, MD (CMA grant) ! Dr. Fred Sanfilippo (CMA grant) ! Charles Wooley(CMA grant) ! Barbara Van Brimmer (CMA grant)

Recent Donations

Witherspoon AcceptsDental Position

It is with regret that the Medical Heritage Center announcedthe resignation of Jane Witherspoon on June 4, 2002.Witherspoon accepted a position in the OSU College ofDentistry as manager of a prestigious grant. We wish Janethe best in her new position.

Witherspoon worked in MHC since the opening in May 1997.She created her position through her natural skills with thecomputer, her interest in rare books and her ability to ex-periment and try new projects. We will always be indebtedto Jane for her infectious laughter, creative thinking and herability to work with a variety of people. Thank you Jane forhelping to create an MHC presence in the health sciencescommunity!

CMA Matching Challenge GrantOn March 2002, Charles Wooley and Barbara VanBrimmer received a $46,000 Columbus Medical As-sociation (CMA) grant to complete a book titled HealthCare and Medical Education Come to Columbus andFranklin County. A $20,000 challenge grant was alsoincluded with the award.

To date we have received $10,635. If we can com-plete the challenge, the Medical Heritage Endowmentwill have $20,000 to support future publications andactivities of the Medical Heritage Center AND theFoundation will provide an additional $20,000 to sup-port the publication of the book.

If you could provide financial support for this win-winchallenge, please send checks made to the Colum-bus Medical Association Foundation to:

The Columbus Medical Association FoundationAttn: Weldon Milbourne

431 East Broad Street, Suite 300Columbus OH 43216

If you have any questions contact: Barbara VanBrimmer at 292-4891 or vanbrimmer.2@osu.edu.You can also contact Weldon Milbourne at 240-7420ext 120 or wmilbourn@cmaf-ohio.org.

Nursing Group FormedFriends of Nursing History recently formed to preserveand collect the nursing history of the Central Ohio Re-gion. If you are interested in joining this group of nurs-ing history enthusiasts, please contact Barbara VanBrimmer at (614) 292-4891. Carol Robinson is theproject coordinator.

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDCOLS. OHPERMIT NO. 711

The exhibition of the Art of Neuroscience: Image and Understanding, 1518-2000, has been extended and will continue to be on display at the MedicalHeritage Center through August. This popular display is available from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday on the fifth floor of the Prior Health Sci-ences Library. The collection of images from the 1500s to the presentreveals the advancement of neuroscience from line drawings to PET scans.

The exhibit was made possible by a generous gift to the National Academyof Sciences from Mrs. Arthur M. Sackler in memory of her husband and ison loan to the OSU Medical Heritage Center. For more information contactBarbara Van Brimmer, Medical Heritage Center Curator, (614) 292-4891or vanbrimmer.2@osu.edu

Neuroscience Exhibit Extended

Petit Atlas Photographique du SystèmeNerveax, le Cerveau, 1888 (Small Photo-graphic Atlas of the Nervous System andBrain) by Jules Bernard Luys (1828-1897)

Fall Lecturer AnnouncedThe Coleman Fall Lecture has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 9, 2002 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. atthe Medical Heritage Center. Anthony Tizzano, MD, will be presenting a historical analysis of women’ssurgery. The evening is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. with light refreshments and a question and answer ses-sion will follow the presentation. The event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contactBarbara Van Brimmer at (614) 292-4891.